FIELD AND STREAM.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 92, 11 January 1908, Page 10

FIELD AND STREAM.

(By Dry Fly;) •

' Two local anglers' met with their'first disappointment iii tho South 'Karori stream last Sunday, when for . several -hours' hard fishing only ten small fish were caught. These fishermen have visited tho South Karori with great consistency this season ■with excellent results, arid attribute Sunday's failure-to the'overcast and uncertain weather. The Porinia stream shows very

little improvement in condition, the recent' rains having made no appreciable difference to its fishing qualities. An . angler who spent many hours • there recently, fished without any favourablo result, only one fish about a pound in weight being taken. Tho Karori. Reservoir affords good sport to the minority who indulge in Stillwater fishing: An occasional perch of "record size" is frequently taken by. an angler "who loyes tho worm." Herring are not usually fished for , with artificial fly as a bait, but they provide good sport in many of our tidal rivers. Two anglers, cycling in from Pahautanui,, recently were tempted to liavo a try in the lower waters of the Porirua stream, as,tho water ,was literally swarming with rises/ Two minutes' fishing was sufficient to prove that the herring liked' march brown and governor, and tho sport was fa3t, for tho half-hour spent in landing fair-sized herrings.'.

The. "Otago Witness" says:—Several anglers appear to have visited tho '; North Island during the holidays, with tbo .object of doing some fishing, and their..experience does not cause them to wax. enthusiastic, nor anything approaching it. Olio gentleman expressed himself thus: "I como back satisfied that if we know how to. advertise our goods in tho south as they do in tho north'wo would nover go north for fishing." Among those■who l went north was Mr. C. P. M. Butterworth. 1 Mr. Butterworth lias just returned, and indicates'that while lie did some fishing at Rotorua lie did not give it any special attention. He, lik> others, does; not seem to bo enchanted with lake fishing, but found fishing in tho AYaikato River, with fly or minnow, productivo of -gopd sport,' Rainbow 'trout up to 91b. being .caught-. Mr, Butterworth tried at Tokaanu, where tho big fish have been taken. Tho river, is tho Tongariro, and tho fishing is donb "at night. Tho fish are brown trout, and they como from.Lake Tnupo. Mr. Butterworth; did not get any fish larger'than 61b. ; but another anglor secured ono magnificent fellow weighing 181b. An opportunity of estimating tlio;,'nuality of the trout to bo found ill New Zealand'is given (writes the "New Zealand Herald's'' correspondent) by a visit to the New Zealand Government Agency in George Street, where sixteen of tho fish, well preserved and mounted,' view. The brown',iYßaiiibow,j and A Loch Leveri varieties are representedj ; i and the streams from which they'have;como' aro in Ashburton, Southland,- Rakaia, Ran-, gitath, Selwyn; Rotorua; Waitaki,-.'and -tbo. Waikato. Tho„ largest is a' rainbow trout from Rotorua •.weighing- -21ilbn ■ : the. smallest a,Loch,Leven of .Slb. The averago weight of tho collection, is 1511)., a . record which beats the New South Wales trout out of sight. ■ . \ ... There aro still plenty of trout in the Blenheim rivers, and good catches aro reported daily. The rivers also retain their reputation- for big trout, ten-pounders and'thoreabouts being common, ■ Tho other day Mr; J. .H. Morrison and ,a companion secured a fino basket of thirteen trout.in tlio Waihopai.'district tho result of ,abou,t, four hours'' sport, tho fish averaging'abo'nt soven.pounds. .Messrs. J. ' Bary_.aud J. Hodgson visited tho samo locality , with 'rods ill timo to seo tho handsomo but just- too lato to catch tho fishin biting, liuniour, for'they secured'only one; though out for several hours. A fino specimen, weighing : 81b., landed ,by Mr. D. Watson, was oil view recently.

' Uliristchurch "Truth" says;—-Tho long spell of dry weather has had a marked eil'ect on North Canterbury rivers, and particularly on tlio Ashloy. In some places tho Ashley has lost all semblance to a ilowing river, tlio courso,being marked only by a lino/of small pools. As a result tho iish are suffering by being imprisoned ill tlio pools. Tho Acclimatisation Society has mado arrangements to remove as many as possible to the more permanent parts of tho river, wliero tlio flow of water is maintained.' Good fly'.fishing-is

being obtained in tho Ashley at uignts. Several Christchurch anglers who recently made visits to tho river secured good bags of nico iislu'' ' Auglers who lished tlie mouth of tho Rakaia'."during the holidays wero rewarded' with good catches, which included several- heavy (ish. On Wednesday tho Society 'sent 3000 brown trout to bo liberated in tho Waikari stream at tho Weka Pass.

Tho Rotorua "Chronicle" says that while angling at .Vaitcti recently, Mr. E. T. Koe, a visitor from tho Islo of Wight, and Mr. T. and Master Wilford wero very successful with tho %, having' secured 51 trout, the heaviest weighing uj-lb. "Messrs. Summervillo and Kettle, also with tho lly, secured 24 fish,'of an averago of 2Jlb. As tho result of an hour's angling in Lake Rotorua, on the rty, Mr. lies placed II fish in his basket, tho average weight of which was 31b. On the 29th ult, Mr. G. A. Burgo angling with lly in Lako Rotorua, caught 6 lino trout, tliO;heaviest being lllbs. Tho six averaged 4ilb. On tho following day, this gentleman, who is evidently a very successful angler, reached the limit, and had to ceaso beforo tho flay had closed. Many others wero out on tho lakes and- in tho streams during tho holidays, and:tho "man in tho street" with an observant eyo could seo that all had been successful, as tho angler trudged homo during tho close of tho day heavily laden with trout as tho result of 'his day's outing. Moro Ilotorua catches wero got by Messrs. Maxwell and Sutherland, and January 2, in the launch Mourca, angling with lly in Lako Rotorua, secured 1G and 8 respectively, tho heaviest lisli weighing 01b., while tho lot averaged 3}lb. Mr. Garrett and friends, tho samo day with fly 'and trolling, in Lako Rotorua, caught Gl fish, averaging 3}lb. Messrs. Culpan, Hellaby, and Eichclbarun,- trolling in Lako Rotorua, placed 43 nico trout in their basket also, the heaviest weighing 51b. Tho Jot averaged 31b. Angling at Waiteti, 'Messrs. Mayes, Clouston, and (larrett_wero successful in placing in their baskets G7 nico trout, all caught with tho lly. Tho heaviest weighed Sill), and the averago wns 31b. .Messrs. Gillctt and Rocs, trolling off

Awaiiou, caught 20 fish, tho averago weight of which was 31b. Mr. Cook and party, who wero out in tho launch Sonoma, and angling between 'Waiteti and tho Oliau, secured •!() trout, the heaviest being 51b. Tho lish averaged 31b. each. Tim above constitute only a few of the catches made during tho week, u bettef idea of . tho actual quantity caught being obtainable at the railway station, where packages of trout innumerable are despatched by tins express every morning.

Somo excellent sport has been had at the mouth of tho Rangitata River during tho past few days, Aslilnirton anglers having succeeded in getting fairly good baskets. On a recent evening two anglers from Ashhurton landed live fish, tho total weight- of which was 461b., the largest weighing 151b. .Messrs.

B. Preston and j, Stephens; on tho samo evening, each landed throo lish, weighing from 41b. to 61b'.